Is there a 6 month sleep regression?

[liz1810]

Do babies go through (another!) sleep regression/major growth spurt at 6 months? DD turned 6 months last week, and the past three nights have been a nightmare. Previously, she would pretty consistently sleep from 730-600 (with a 1000 DF), sometimes waking up for a 300 feed, sometimes not.

Now, she will either wake up before her DF or about 15-20 minutes after. Then she will be up ever 1/2 hour to hour until about 4am. I have been feeding her around that 4am wake-up, and then she will sleep until around 630. We haven't ever done PU/PD, as she will settle within 5 minutes usually with a paci (I know that the paci may be a prop for us, but, as mentioned, we haven't had to use it during the night in MONTHS; do I throw starting PU/PD into the mix now?!).

Some other factors - when I've gone in the past few nights, she seems to want to talk and roll around. Also, we started rice cereal and sweet potatoes last week. The rice cereal seemed to constipate her, so we stopped it. We started the sweet potatoes over the weekend.

EASY is usually 3.5-4 hours between feeds, 2 hour A times, and two 1-2 hour naps and a 30 minute catnap in the evenings. She's so inconsistent lately that I don't have an actual EASY nailed down. Really, I would love some advice/reassurance that this sudden, frequent night-waking will stop. Anyone see glaring issues that could help us out? Our LO is otherwise so happy during the day. I am just soooooo tired!!

[liz1810]

Oh, and I don't see any signs of teething. She's been mouthing toys (and fingers) for months now though.

[katie80]

Hi there,
I don't know that there's a 6 mo sleep regression so to speak, but there's definitely a growth spurt and often a lot of developmental milestones as well.  The starting of solids is a huge factor.  I think it's a good idea to stay away from the rice cereal for now, as it can definitely cause a lot of digestive issues.  Pears and sweet potatoes are good first foods.  How is she fed, breast or formula?

Another factor is that 2 hr A times are a bit on the low side for 6 mo.  She may be needing some more A time and that is contributing to the NWs.  Could you log your EASYs for a few days or write them out as best you can remember from the last few so we can take a look and see if the routine can be tweaked?

Finally, no I would PUPD as of now.  It's meant to be used as a last resort, and there are several angles we can look at for NWs before having to use PUPD.  Does she go to sleep independently apart from the paci?

(((Hugs))), I know it can be quite a shock after a LO has previously slept through for awhile, but because of that, I'm sure there's just something that needs to be tweaked for her to get back to it.  Don't despair!

[becj86]

I agree with Katie that you likely need a routine tweak. Babies usually have A times up nearer 2.5-3hr at 6 months and this is prime CN dropping time too.
PUPD and paci don't mix - and I think we can find some other ideas for you to try before PUPD becomes necessary

[liz1810]

Well, we've had another week of ups and downs. We dropped the dream feed because it seemed to be waking her up. That worked beautifully for several nights - she even slept from 7-7 twice (BIG deal for us!). Then we went out of town, and now that we're home, I feel like we are almost back where we started. Now, LO is waking up anywhere from an hour to two hours of being put down, and then waking up again between 11-1 and 3-4. I've been feeding her both times, but if feels like moving backwards to be doing so. I also remember something about NOT feeding 11 or after, but I'm not sure what to do in that 11-1 window. Same with the 3-4 timeframe - it feels like we are going in reverse to feed her. I've tried calming her without feeding (both times), and while I can do that, most of the time, she'll just be up again within an hour or so if I don't feed her. That makes me think that hunger may be playing a role?

We are still working on stretching the A times. Times between feeds seem to be shorter lately though (3-3.5 hours). I know that's short for her age. Short naps have also returned We cut out the rice cereal, and her tummy seems to be much happier. Here are a few EASYs from the past week:

E 630
A
S 830-1000
E 1000
A 1030 eat/play with sweet potato
S 1215 - 100
E 100
A
S 315 - 400
E 400
A
E 715
S 730

E 700
A
S 900 - 1000
E 1015
A 1045 sweet potato
S 1215 - 1245
E 115
A
S 300 - 330
A
E 430
A
S 530 - 600
A
E 715
S put down around 740, didn't fall asleep until almost 900

When trying to extend A times, she acts so cranky past 2.25 hours. On the other hand, I know our evening A time can be long. When she wakes up at 400 or 430 from her last nap, there's no way she'll go down for a catnap. Therefore, evening A times can be looong. She had previously had no issues with that, but now I'm reconsidering.

Any red flags? I just don't even know where to focus - extending A times/times between feeds, continuing to try to put the catnap back, putting DF back in, feeding or not feeding in the middle of the night, etc. So many factors and too tired to figure out where to start!! Thanks for anyone for taking the time to read and offer any advice

[becj86]

I've tried calming her without feeding (both times), and while I can do that, most of the time, she'll just be up again within an hour or so if I don't feed her. That makes me think that hunger may be playing a role?

Could be a growth spurt - there is often a big one at 6 months

This is actually prime age to be dropping the CN, so 3 A times of ~3hr, 2x~1.5hr naps and a 12hr night.

she acts so cranky past 2.25 hours.

How so? Is she bored - would a walk outside or some other change of scenery help? Is this only after a 45min nap? IS she ok after a full nap?

[katie80]

I just don't even know where to focus - extending A times/times between feeds, continuing to try to put the catnap back, putting DF back in, feeding or not feeding in the middle of the night, etc. So many factors and too tired to figure out where to start!!

I would start by just working at getting your day on track and usually the night will follow.  If you've just gotten home from being away for a week, it can take a few days up to a week to actually get back on track. 

I wouldn't put the DF back in, but I'd go ahead and feed at the NWs for now.  To still have 2 at this age is not that uncommon, and if she resettles, but then wakes again, I'd feed her.  I think once you get your day sorted a bit, you might automatically lose one.  Work on extending A times, trying as best as you can to extend naps, and use the CN if you need it to get to bedtime or do an early bedtime. 

One thing I notice is that you're not cutting the A time back after a short nap.  My DS was still on ~2:30-2:45 A times at 6 mo, but when he short napped, I cut it back to 2 hr.  This either got me a long lunchtime nap or a longer pm nap to make it to bedtime. 

If she's not taking a lot of solids, you may need to do some top up feeds or feed at 3/3.5 hr at the end of the day.  And when she short naps, you just kind of have to fit them in where you can.

[liz1810]

Thanks to both of you for your guidance. We're still having rough evenings (waking up about 3 times before midnight), but I think we are at least formulating a game plan. We will now try resettling once and then feeding if she gets up again. We've also been increasing her A times. She does get quite fussy when it's been too long, even when I do give her a change of scenery. This morning, she started falling asleep almost as soon as we started our nap-time routine (then only took a 30 minute nap - so then I did cut the next A time). Still, I think focusing on increasing A times will (eventually) help with nights. I can only hope that we find some sort of balance soon. Thankfully, she's been quite happy during the day. That helps   Anyway, I really appreciate the advice and support. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

[katie80]

Crossed here!  Keep us posted. 

[becj86]

Fingers crossed xx

Keep us posted

[liz1810]

Well, we have had some great days, but nights continue to be challenging. Evenings really.  She is either not falling asleep until 9, or, going down fine but then waking (and again, not finally sleeping until 9ish). Naps have been great. Feedings have been great. Activity has been wonderful, and we are up to about a 2.25-2.5 A time. But the not falling asleep at night is challenging - I just wish I knew why its been tough for her. She seems sleepy but will just cry. We sit with her, sometimes with her paci in, sometimes her thumb in, sometimes nothing. Past two days EASY:

E 730
A
S 950
E 1145
A
S 200
E 315
A
S 510
E 6
A
S (and top-off) try at 720

E 715
A
S 930
E 1115
A
S 130
E 240
A
S 450
E 530
A
S (and top-off) try at 730

One last thing - I have been waking her from the second nap after an hour. My fear is that she will sleep until 3 or 315, and then what do I do about the catnap? A catnap at 515/530 had been too late, as in, she was still wired at bed time (but I suppose I am still having bedtime issues either way!). I'd gladly drop it, but she can't make it until our typical 715/730 bedtime. If I push our bedtime earlier to accomodate no catnap, I worry about her then shifting her wake up earlier. If I followed our A time to shift bedtime, it would fall at 530ish. Yikes.

Any ideas about why going down/initially staying down has been so hard the past 10 days?

[katie80]

Those look like great days! It sounds like she's UT at bedtime and is really ready to push to get rid of the CN.  If you're waking her from the second nap to fit in a CN, I'd try to just push that middle A time a bit, get another nice, long nap, and go for the EBT until she's adjusted.  You're right, she won't be able to make it to regular bedtime as it is, but with a longer second nap, and an earlier bedtime, most LOs will still sleep til at or near wake-up the next day (they often make up for that lost nap with night sleep).

What about something like this
E 7:30
A
S 9:50-11:50
E 11:50
A
S 2:30-4:30
E 4:30
A
S 7

Granted, that's pretty ideal, but gives you something to work for.  If one of the naps goes shorter and you must fit a CN in to get her to a decent BT, you could do just 15-20 min in the stroller (or car if you've got an errand to run).  That would hopefully prevent her from being all out OT, but not cause settling issues.  What do you think?

[liz1810]

Yes, I am SO thankful for our happy, great days Thanks so much for the detailed advice and for giving us something to shoot for. That always makes me feel 1000 times better! I too think the CN needs to go, but getting there seems so hard. I will see if we can get a long second nap today, or, if she must have the CN, aim for a 15-20 minute one.

One more question (for now!) - last night was awful. We tried a bit of a later bedtime (because of the CN), but she didn't fall asleep until 8. Then she was up for 15 minutes at 830, and then again for about an hour starting at 950. I finally fed her around 11, and then she slept through until 645 this morning. So, she got less than 10 hours of sleep last night and seemed somewhat tired this morning. She is napping now, and I was wondering if it was ever ok to let her nap past 2 hours (just pushing it an extra half hour). The LAST thing I want to do is add to our night troubles though. I was thinking of letting her sleep a bit extra because of last night, and, because I want to push to have no CN today. Good idea or no? Thanks again so very much for all of your help!!

[becj86]

I have an absolute cap of 2hr15min (3 sleep cycles) that way he's not as cranky when I wake him. I'm on alert essentially for any stirring after 2hr and wake him when he stirs or at 2hr15 at the latest

[liz1810]

Update! You know those arcade games where you have to smash down on one thing that pops up, but as soon as you do, another one pops up? That's exactly how I feel! I don't even really remember where we were when I started this thread, but I'm pretty sure we've come full circle and are back where we started. DD is again waking up early in the evening, anywhere from a hour to two hours after being put down. The HUGE difference now though is that she is not settling with a calm word or even a paci. She's screaming and seems so angry. Seeing as it can sometimes be an hour after she's last eaten, I feel pretty sure she's not hungry. I even gave in and tried feeding her a few times, and she only ate for about 5 minutes (so not a full feed). The only thing that will calm her is being picked up and held. She then gets drowsy and it put back into her crib, almost asleep I know that is us becoming a prop. So . . . . it's time for PU/PD, isn't it? I am feeling pretty good about her EASY, though we are still trying to push her A times (currently at about 2.5 hours). Naps are great and have been very consistent, and she's a happy girl during the day. It's just nights! Also, the remainder of the night can go either way for us - sometimes she has been STTN after her early evening wake-up, and other times, she gets up once to eat (and takes a full feed). Really, I know that we are doing ok, but this angry cry at night is more heartbreaking to me than anything. And of course, I would love for us to get some sleep, someday Thanks so much for all of the help.